The Medieval Market Village is definitely my favorite. I've bought seven copies of it over the years as parts bags, and one is currently still in its box. Not because I want to sell it. Just because I'm saving it. At some point, I'm either going to display it as-is in a future, more roomy home, or I might incorporate it into a full display after sufficient time has passed to make it seem cool and retro rather than lazy.

Though that time might be coming pretty soon. I found a copy at BrickFair VA this year, with all parts including minifigures, pre-assembled in a tub (no box), being sold by my favorite vendor for a rather delicious price. I snatched that one up, and then stuck it in my medieval town display. Someone -- not a Castle newbie -- didn't even notice that the buildings weren't MOCs until I mentioned it offhand. I figured it would be obvious to everyone, but I guess when they're slipped in between MOC buildings and accompanied by landscaping and crowd and market stalls, it's easy to miss when you're not expecting it.

Seeing the set alongside my MOC buildings was interesting. I'd never put it side-by-side with my own stuff before, even though I used the parts and I try for a very similar Tudor style. The buildings fit, but it also made me realize that I could do even better. That set has a level of detail and amount of parts that went far beyond the original price tag. I wish we could do more of that stuff rather than the crappy Nexo Knights.

My fave was the first ever lego castle I got, the King's Mountain fortress. It was my xmas present when I was about 7 or 8. It had everything. working drawbridge. working trapdoor. secret door. prison cell. basement for the treasure. It also had the ghost and princess figures. Female figures became very rare for castle sets, and I became quite sad when I lost the princess' skirt. I never got another one until the witch figure came out with the horror nights sets.

stone forest wrote:My fave was the first ever lego castle I got, the King's Mountain fortress. It was my xmas present when I was about 7 or 8. It had everything. working drawbridge. working trapdoor. secret door. prison cell. basement for the treasure. It also had the ghost and princess figures. Female figures became very rare for castle sets, and I became quite sad when I lost the princess' skirt. I never got another one until the witch figure came out with the horror nights sets.

King's Mountain Fortress is an amazing set. I got it a few years ago used and it's probably one of my favorite vintage sets.

Overall, my favorite set that I own is probably either the 2010 King's Castle or the Kingdoms Joust.

As Christmas mood is kicking in more and more, I took out and re-built a selection of my classic kingdom so here are my first-hand picks:

1) 6077 Forestmen River Fortress - First set I ever got. And if nostalgia ain’t enough, it still is one of the most inventive structures ever and jolliest place to be at in the whole kingdom. Unless you’re that poor Lion Knight. But it’s mostly nostalgia and life-time of play, nothing beats that.

2) 6067 Guarded Inn - Never got this as a kid, I haven’t even been aware of it till I started browsing these pages a bit over a decade ago and yet here it is, right at the top. One of the very few cases where even a bigger piece count woudn’t make it more perfect than it already is - parts and colors and perfectly balanced fractions with civilian flavour all over can kick off a dozen stories and endless play. Or you can simply just look at it, there’s no wrong. It’s a masterpiece.